Nuggets @ Clippers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Denver Nuggets (21-9)

@ Los Angeles Clippers (18-13)

Current odds:

Denver Nuggets: (+105)

Los Angeles Clippers: (-125)

• The line for this game is Clippers by 1.5 points.

• The Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets are winners of four straight after sweeping through a homestand but are about to embark on a stretch with seven of the next 11 games on the road. That begins on Saturday, when the Nuggets visit the Los Angeles Clippers. Denver has been off since Tuesday, when it showed off the force of its offense with a 126-118 win over the Dallas Mavericks – two days after showing off defensively in a 95-86 triumph over East-leading Toronto.

• The Clippers snapped a four-game slide with a 125-121 home win over the Mavericks on Thursday and reached 125 points for the second consecutive contest as the offense works its way out of a rut. Los Angeles shot 56.6 percent from the floor on Thursday as Danilo Gallinari led the way with 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting.

• Denver is being led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, who is riding a streak of six straight double-doubles and averaged 27.3 points and 13.3 rebounds during the homestand. “Everything,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters about what he’s seen from Jokic of late. “We need him to score. He scores 32. We need him to rebound. He does that. We need him to facilitate and make plays for his teammates. He does that. We need him to do a lot on defense, be up in pick and rolls and fly around.” Jokic collected 32 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win over Dallas on Tuesday.

• Los Angeles got a major boost on offense Thursday from sixth man Lou Williams, who returned to the lineup after missing the previous four games with a hamstring injury. Williams poured in 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting and added a team-high eight assists in 24 minutes. “Lou was fantastic,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “I thought early on his passing was fantastic and then he started the scoring barrage down the stretch. I just think he gives us a confidence when you have him on the floor. It gives us a closer at the end of the game.”

• Murray handed out a career-high 15 assists on Tuesday.

• Clippers PF Montrezl Harrell went 9-of-13 from the floor on Thursday – his 12th consecutive game shooting 50 percent or better from the floor.

• Denver earned a 107-98 win at Los Angeles in the season opener on Oct. 17.